


As The World Caves In

by 015wayward_winchester



Series: Change the Ending [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:33:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29599728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/015wayward_winchester/pseuds/015wayward_winchester
Summary: Sam, Dean, and Cas deal with the aftermath of Elieen’s death. Sam isn’t handling it well.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Series: Change the Ending [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137134
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

Dean was definitely worried about his brother. Sam had hidden away in his room for the past four days and only occasionally came out to get food. 

Cas came an interrupted Dean’s thoughts.

“I found you and Sam a case.”

“Come again?”

“You Winchesters deal with your feelings in very unhealthy ways. It seems whenever there’s something going on that you can’t handle you go on a case so you don’t have to process your emotions.”

Dean didn’t want to admit the accuracy of Cas’s statement. 

“Alright what’s happening where?”

“A few bodies turned up drained of blood in Canton South Dakota”

“Canton? That’s near Sioux Falls.”

“What’s wrong with Sioux Falls?” 

“Nothings wrong with it. That’s just not our division. That’s Jody’s territory”

“Precisely. I thought getting Sam to Jody would be a good thing. When you boys need someone besides me or each other to talk to you call her.”

Cas was getting wise in his old age.

“Alright load up Baby. I’ll get Sam then we can hit the road.”

“Dean I’m not going.”

Dean was taken aback “what do you mean? You’re part of the team. You’re part of our family, in a month you’ll be my husband, and you’ve always been like a brother to Sam.”

Cas sighed “and I just got another member of our family killed.”

“Cas that wasn’t your fault.”

“I should’ve handed over the gun, and I shouldn’t have tried to fight. My actions got Elieen killed!”

Dean walked over to his angel.

“No. You saved me and Sam. If it hadn’t been for you Lilith would’ve killed us all. Had you handed her the guns she would’ve killed us anyway. There was nothing you could’ve done differently.” Dean almost added ‘except let me die’ but the words died on his tongue.

Cas continued unable to look Dean in the eyes “I could’ve saved her.” Cas’s voice was so quiet and he sounded so broken Dean could feel his heart crack a little. 

Dean reached over to touch Cas’s face and gently moved his head so Cas was now looking Dean in the eyes. “Your grace has been failing since Chuck cracked open Hell, and that was months ago it’s bound to be worse. No one blames you Cas.”

“I know, but I blame me. Dean please just let me stay in the bunker. I need some me time” 

“Ok Cas” 

Dean leaned down to give the angel a quick kiss.

“We’ll be back soon. I love you”

“I love you too”

With that Dean went to get Sam.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean knocked on the door gently.

“Sam?” He called out “Sam?”

He opened the door, and found his brother on the bed. He looked like he was asleep, but Dean knew better. His breathing was too erratic to be asleep. He sat on the bed next to his brother. 

“Hey Sammy” Dean said in a soft voice

Sam stayed quiet, but turned to face Dean. Dean could see how red Sam’s eyes were. The kid had been crying almost non-stop, and had evidently ran out of tears. Dean placed a hand on Sam’s back.

“I know you need time, and maybe a little space, but I’ve got a case. I thought we could tackle it. Just you and me.”

“Cas?” Sam asked 

“He’ll come if you want him to, but otherwise he’s more than happy to stay here and watch some Netflix.”

Sam nodded. It was unspoken that he didn’t really want Cas to go with them. 

“Where?” Sam asked 

“Canton. I figured we could pop in on Jody, Donna, and the girls on our way.”

“Sounds good” Sam sat up and started to rise from the bed, but Dean stopped him with a hand to the shoulder.

“Sam I know it isn’t easy. We’ve both lost more than too much, and if you need to talk-“

“I know. I’m not ready. Let’s just go work the case”

Dean nodded and left the room so Sam could pack. With everything he needed for the hunt already in Baby Dean decided to go to the kitchen to talk to Cas.

“So Sam’s in. You sure you’re ok to just chill here and watch Netflix?”

“Dean I’ll be fine. Worry about your brother not me.” 

Dean looked down at the rings on their fingers. “I know we planned for next month, but I think we should postpone. I love you and I want to get married, but I don’t want to rub it in Sam’s face. He’s lost almost every woman he ever loved, and he had finally given himself permission to be happy. But of course the other shoe dropped.” Dean shook his head

“I understand Dean. Sam’s been through a lot, and seeing us go through with it so soon after he lost Elieen would not help him.”

“I love you Cas”

“I love you too. Now go on your hunt. Don’t forget to call and check in.”

“You got it”

Dean turned and exiting the kitchen he almost bumped into Sam. 

“Ready to go Sammy?” 

“Yeah just waiting on you”

“Well let’s go then”

The two walked to the garage and got in the car. When they got onto the road Sam reached out and turned on the radio, keeping it quiet. Dean knew this to be Sam for ‘conversation would be nice, but I’m also ok to just listen to music’.

A few minutes later Sam was the one to break the silence.

“I overheard you and Cas. Don’t worry about me. I’m happy for the two of you. You’ve waited eleven years. You’ve lost each other so many times yet beyond all odds you keep finding each other. You deserve to be happy. Don’t postpone the ceremony for my benefit. We’ve both faced consequences of waiting too long” 

“Thanks Sammy.” Dean was at a loss. He hadn’t meant for Sam to overhear them. Also his brother was the best. Here he was having just lost the girl of his dreams, and he was encouraging Dean. “Do you want to talk about it?” Dean knew Sam was bottling his emotions which was so far from healthy and he genuinely wanted to help him. But Sam just turned the music up louder which was very uncommon. But Dean left him alone. This rare occurrence was Sam for ‘I don’t wanna talk anymore’. Dean held in a sigh. Hopefully Sam would talk to Jody when they got there.


	3. Chapter 3

Upon arriving in Sioux Falls the boys decided to go see the wreckage of Bobby’s house. This had been their home. Besides Baby this had been the one place they always thought they’d have, until Dean was 17 and Sam was 13, and Bobby and John had a falling out. Nine years later they’d finally reconnected with their surrogate dad, only to lose him and their home seven years after that. Sure they’d recently connected with apocalypse world Bobby Singer, but he just wasn’t the Bobby they had known.

The brothers got out of the car to walk around the property. A few steps towards the wreckage Sam noticed something half buried in the dirt. He leaned down and picked it up.

“Is this my shoe?” Sam asked “how is it still here”

Dean chuckled, but stopped when he saw something. It was an empty, cracked, and muddy bottle of Johnny Walker. 

There was nothing left of the house except part of the panic room, but a lot of the cars from the salvage yard were still there. Seeing the old cars gave both boys a sense of calm. 

“I hope he’d be proud of us.” Sam said

Dean clasped him on the shoulder “of course he would be. There wasn’t much we did that he wasn’t proud of.”

Sam just smiled and twisted the ring on his finger. 

After an hour of wandering the property the boys climbed back into Baby and continued on to Jody’s.


	4. Chapter 4

Upon their arrival at Jody’s the boys were instantly showered with hugs. Donna, Jody, Alex, and Patience all lined up to give the boys hugs. Everyone seemed to be ok. Still slightly shaky since losing Claire, but ok. Donna held Sam back for a minute while the others led Dean inside.

“Sam I was sorry to hear about Elieen. We tell ourselves that losing people is just part of the job, that we’re used to it, but that’s only half true. When you live this life you either go it alone or you make a family. Neither are good options. You go it alone and you become hard, cold, and closed off. But you make a family and you’re signing up to lose each other. We tell ourselves we’re used to it but it hurts every single time.” Donna was nearly in tears and Sam also looked ready to cry.

Sam pulled her into a hug and whispered a thank you.

When they stepped inside Dean was playing Mario Cart with Alex, and Patience. Sam noticed a remote lying on the couch.

“You want to join in?” Dean called over 

Sam shook his head but walked over to pick up the remote anyway. As he turned the remote over to check the batteries he noticed a bit of dark nail polish, like the color Claire often wore. He blinked away the newly forming tears, and selected his character. 

“Toad?” Alex questioned

“Hey don’t judge he’s cool.” Sam said in a mock defensive tone

Alex played as Roselina, Patience as baby Daisy, and Dean as Yoshi. 

Dean was fully expecting to win, but Alex was sort of a master and came out on top. Dean jokingly called cheats. It felt good to be in Sioux Falls with their family, but things felt a little fractured. This was usually the point where Claire was on top of the leaderboard and teasing him. 

“You’re just jealous that you’re old man fingers can’t keep up” she’d always say

Dean smiled softly at the memory. After a few more rounds the adults announced dinner was ready. Jody and Donna had outdone themselves grilling steaks, making potatoes, and vegetables.

Dinner was quiet. They hadn’t quite found their groove without Claire yet. Eventually the small chatter drifted to the case. 

“I’m off tomorrow would you mind having backup?” Jody asked

“You are always welcome to assist in killing anything in need of killing” Dean assured her

“Can I come?” Alex asked gently. She hadn’t originally wanted to hunt, but if she was honest she’d been itching to get out there again. She was now worried Jody wouldn’t allow it. 

“No” Jody shot her down “I’ve lost two kids and I won’t lose another.” She said sternly 

“But-“

“No!” Jody was almost screaming. She stood up and left the room, hardly bothering to cover her tears. Dean went after her. 

He followed her to her room. 

“I don’t want her out there Dean. I can’t let either of them hunt anymore. I can’t protect them.”

Dean sat down next to her. “I know you want to protect them. But this isn’t how. They need to hunt, especially Alex. She’s holding a lot in. Hunting is her release and if you take that away she will explode. Let her come. You’ll be with her the whole time, and I’ll protect you both. I promise.”

Jody shook her head then hesitantly responded “ok”


	5. Chapter 5

While Jody talked to Dean the others cleaned up the dinner table. After a half hour Dean came out and pulled Sam aside and caught him up on his conversation with Jody. Then he went to go talk to Alex.

He stopped outside her door and knocked gently before entering.

“So are you here to tell me Jody won’t let me go and tell me she knows best?”

“Actually the opposite. Jody agreed to let you come along, but you have to promise me you’ll be careful and you’ll stay right next to one of us the whole time.”

“So I’m at the kids table?”

“Alex it’s a miracle I was able to talk Jody into letting you come. She’s lost two kids now that’s two more than any parent can afford to lose. When we get through this hunt safe and sound I’ll talk to Jody about loosening up. Deal?” He held out his hand, but she ignored it going straight for a hug.

“Deal. Thanks Dean”

“Anytime kiddo” 

Dean left the room before the tears could fall. Jody wasn’t the only one who knew what it was like to lose a kid. He’d lost Ben, and he’d lost Jack Chuck knew how many times. Even Claire had been almost a daughter to him. Now Alex was the closest thing he had to a daughter. He silently promised to protect her at all costs.

Eventually he made his way to the room he and Sam shared.

“What’s on your mind?” His younger brother asked

Dean tried to play it off “nothing. Just been a long day.”

Sam sighed “Dean I know you too well. It’s not just a long day. Come on what’s up?”

“Do you ever think about Jack?”

Both brothers were silent for a minute. Before Sam spoke up.

“Yeah all the time. He was our kid. I loved him.”

“Even after what happened to... mom?” Dean asked hesitantly 

“That wasn’t Jack. I mean it was him, but he was soulless. I just can’t hold him responsible for something he couldn’t control.”

“Yeah. You’re right.”

“I usually am” Sam joked back to lighten the mood

“Oh no I’m the oldest meaning I’m the one who’s right” Dean joked back. 

The bickering went on until five minutes later when Donna knocked at the door.

“We have a hunt tomorrow. Why don’t you two quit bickering like children and get some sleep like good little boys.” Donna joked hardly containing all her laughter

“Ok ‘mom’ “ the boys fired back

“Goodnight Donna” Sam said in a more serious tone

“G’night boys” she said before walking to her room.

The boys decided to follow Donna’s advice and get some shut eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next part coming soon.


End file.
